Say Yes

     Women's magazines are full of advise about learning to say, "no." The gist of it is that women over commit themselves and as a result are overwhelmed with responsibilities and have no time for the things that are important in life. This is often true. Certainly no one should sit on committees, serve on boards and volunteer for worthy causes just because they are asked and to the deteriment of themselves or their relationships. There is an exception I see to this stern warning of too many yes's and that is when given the opportunity to break out of a rut.

     Too often we reflexively say, "no" to activities that are out of the normal run of things. When presented with an offer to do or see or experience something that is novel and without a guarantee of the outcome, the knee jerk reaction is to say, "no" or ,"No of course not" or "No I don't do that, or haven't done that or have never considered doing that." Just because we have never done something doesn't mean we can't give it a try.

     Jesus asked his disciples to do all sorts of things they had never done before. Leave their families and follow him being a starting point, followed by healing the sick, dining with the outcasts, walking on water, among others. Jesus expects us to say, "Yes." Yes to serving in a way we have never served before, yes to praying when it feels awkward, yes to going places we have never gone.

     As parents, a simple way to practice saying yes is to say yes to our children when they want us to try something new or different with them. Yes to joining them in a camp out on the living room floor. Yes to playing pretend restaurant at dinner instead of watching TV. Yes to building a sheet fort in the dinning room. (Here are some fort ideas.)Yes to making some messy concoction in the kitchen.(I recommend homemade gak. Here is the recipe.)

     Staying in our routines is safe and comfortable, but limiting. Experiences that are different open our minds and souls to new possibilities. They foster growth and renewal. Some of these adventures will be failures, some will be a great new success and most will be a combination of the two.

     Have a summer of "Yes" adventures.

God's peace be with you,
Michelle


   

The Pace of Summer

     Summer is about to start. The last day of public school is in three days. That means the first day of summer starts in four days, despite what the calendar or cycles of the moon may indicate. For families with school age children summer brings a different tempo to the days and nights. No more waking in the dark for school, no more late evenings of homework. Bedtimes are not as critical when families can use the sun as their alarm clock.

     A relaxed pace is a balm to the sometimes strained relationships within families. Nothing helps build relationships as much as time spent together and time spent without too many bullet points on the agenda. Children tend to ease into important conversations when there is a stretch of time in front of them. It is easy to think their conversations are just talk, but as parents we need to remember during these quieter days of summer, that every long story or meandering conversation is an important one to the child involved. Listening to the overall theme or repeated observations of a child will often reveal what is weighing on his or her heart. The tenor and cadence of the story, be it fear, jealousy, pride, excitement or any other emotion  illuminates the path that parents can take in teaching, nurturing and leading children.

     The prayer For Quiet Confidence (found on page 832 of the Book of Common Prayer) is the perfect prayer for the summer. In this prayer we are reminded that God has taught us that "in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength." 

     Let this summer be a a time to know the peace that comes from being still or, in the case of children, a little more still than during the school year so that we can come to better know and lead our children and know and follow our God.

Happy Summer,
Michelle